An angry crowd of 30 to 40 people gathered outside the hotel after a social media rumour claimed that a new group of illegal migrants had been taken there by bus.
LONDON, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 10th Sep, 2026) A shameful incident occurred in the coastal British city of Portsmouth during ongoing protests against racism and migrants when local far-right protesters surrounded the hotel of Pakistan’s touring national Under-19 cricket team, mistakenly believing the players were illegal migrants.
According to the BBC, an angry crowd of 30 to 40 people gathered outside the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth on Tuesday evening after a rumour spread on social media that a new group of illegal migrants had been taken to the hotel by bus.
A local resident saw Asian players getting off the bus and uploaded a photograph to social media without verification, after which protesters opposed to refugees began surrounding the hotel.
A large number of Hampshire police officers reportedly arrived at the scene when the situation became serious.
Police officials explained to the protesters that their concerns and information were completely false. Local councillor George Medgok, while describing the incident, said he had personally met the hotel manager, who showed him all the documentation proving that the people were not illegal migrants but players and officials of Pakistan’s touring national Under-19 cricket team.
He added that the Pakistan cricket team’s coach had also personally spoken to him and presented evidence.
Amanda Martin, a Labour Member of Parliament for Portsmouth North, described the incident as highly inappropriate and concerning.
Speaking to the media, she said it was completely unacceptable that young athletes visiting the city had been targeted solely on the basis of misinformation and rumours, adding that the debate on immigration should be based on facts rather than unfounded misconceptions.
It has been reported that, following the shameful incident, the England and Wales Cricket board (ECB) checked on the well-being of the Pakistani junior cricketers and began reviewing the team’s security plan and protective arrangements for the remainder of the tour.
Meanwhile, the hotel management declined to make any formal comment on the incident.
